David Miyashiro
Superintendent
Cajon Valley Union School District
El Cajon, CA USA
“Humbly rise above to show your value.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationDavid Miyashiro
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Growing up, I was always the one who would plan games and recruit the other kids on my block to participate.
In middle and high school, I was the captain of my sports teams—I found fun in leading, organizing, and motivating others.
In college, I thought I wanted to become a teacher, so I stayed an extra year in school after earning my bachelor’s degree to earn a teaching credential.
After teaching for a while, I knew I wanted to lead a larger organization, so I went back to school for a credential to become an administrator.
I also earned a Ph.D. in organizational leadership—the degree was split between the school of education and the school of business, which was great because I really learned how to run a business.
I moved up to become a school principal and then again to become an assistant superintendent for a school district.
I’m now the superintendent of Cajon Valley Union School District in California, where I’m responsible for leading the school district and making sure that everyone has what they need to succeed.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Superintendent
I lead and manage the school district as a whole.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Business
Working with Others
Day to Day
I make sure everyone has what they need to succeed in school throughout the district. For example, I used our resources to make sure each student has a personal laptop for their schoolwork. I'm also the point of contact when someone is unhappy or has an issue that needs resolving. My day-to-day now during COVID is focused on communicating with my district to find out how everyone is doing and keeping them motivated. I visit each school and classroom to identify people who need more support.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for college students
Spend some time interning in the field or career that you're thinking about pursuing. That hands-on experience is the best way to figure out if it's something you'll actually enjoy doing.
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
Racial Discrimination
